BCCI to hold two-day workshop for IPL match officials

Mumbai: A total of 26 match officials (both umpires and referees) will participate in a two-day workshop organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) here on Saturday and Sunday, for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) starting in Kolkata on Wednesday.

The umpires and match officials workshop will be conducted by Simon Taufel, a former member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Elite Umpire Panel, five-time winner of the ICC Umpire of the Year Award, and at present the ICC's Umpire Performance and Training manager.

The workshop, now in its third year, is an ongoing initiative as part of the BCCI match officials development programme, an IPL release said on Friday.

With 60 matches scheduled, the tournament will provide a wonderful opportunity for top Indian match officials to prepare them ahead of another intense edition of the IPL.

The 2015 season will see 26 match officials, 13 Indian umpires and four match referees officiating in the tournament.

A wide range of topics which involve the match officials in the conduct of the game will be covered during the workshop, from clothing regulations, to on-field player behaviour and the overall playing conditions.

Taufel will travel with the match officials' team during the initial part of the tournament to the various venues. The workshop will be held at the Cricket Centre, Mumbai, on April 4 and 5, 2015, from 9 am to 5 pm.